yep, I spent my spring break up on "Fountain Mountain"......it's always a
good time up there.

-Craig
'85Gl

On Mon, Mar 31, 2008 at 6:15 PM, Walt Spak <b20swalt@city-net.com> wrote:

> Now, it might seem like we, The Pittsburgh Vanagon Club, are Amish given
> the way we all jumped in on this project, but that is not the case.
>
> In fact, since it was Craigs "spring break" activity, we provided loud
> rock & roll, a full bar, and numerous wet T-shirt contests.
>
> Walt
>
>
>
> craig cowan wrote:
>
> >Not to distract from the argument about how much we'd all love to buy an
> >$80K GoWesty vanagon and put no work into it ourselves, but i would like
> to
> >say that i have a problem. Problems, are what we have this forum for, we
> >post a problem, and those with more experience suggest solutions for the
> >problem. Well i've also been told that "accepting your problem is the
> first
> >step to solving it", i'm not sure if that's true, but here goes.
> >It seems i'm addicted to vanagons, and thoroughly enjoy them.
> >
> >I'll give you guys all a second for that to set in....
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Okay. Well as some of you know, I'm amongst the youngest of the vanagon
> >fanatics on our list, a college student that can safely say "is on a
> >shoestring budget". Furthermore, my vanagon's been NOTHING but problems
> >since day one. Just one after another. Between my $500 repair of a $2.50
> >exhaust gasket last summer, and working 10 hour days at minimum wage to
> fuel
> >my addiction, it seems i needed a solution. Well when my spring break
> plans
> >went sour, i decided "what better time than now". After taking account of
> my
> >finances, resources, and skills.....i undertook a project slightly too
> >ambitious for all of them. I decided i would be removing my engine and
> all
> >of its peripherals, and replacing it with another engine/peripherals from
> a
> >'known good' van. So after undertaking the ambitious engine removal using
> >only a bag of mix and match tools, a floor jack, and the basic idea that
> >"well i'll just unplug everything, and disconnect what seems obvious, and
> >all will be well", i pulled the engine in just 4 hours, with help for
> about
> >the last hour of actual engine lowering and man-handling of tough
> >components. There were endless reasons not to reuse this engine, most
> >noteably that it had signs of heads that would soon be leaking, half a
> drill
> >bit stuck and partially "drilled out" in one of the heads (and
> conveniently
> >at an angle..), more rusted on components than anyone could expect, and
> we
> >knew very little about the engine other than that it was "supposedly a
> low
> >mileage Canadian rebuild".
> >So the engine's out. That was such a wonderful feeling! As the next day
> came
> >along and i started removing peripherals, it was obvious that this engine
> >really shouldnt be reused....bolts were breaking left and right, major
> >systems were MISSING (NO throttle position switch system), and there was
> >just plenty of "retrofitting" throughout the engine. Either way, i kept
> on
> >truckin untill i had removed the heads with only little difficulty. Upon
> >inspection of the heads, and further inspection by experts....they proved
> >really really nice. No cracks, only minor pitting, no wear in the valve
> >systems....
> >So it was decided that the engine was going to be saved. This, was a
> >slightly uneasy moment for me, as it occured that this was going to cost
> me
> >more than just "putting in the other engine". Well the heads were rebuilt
> by
> >the machinists, the flywheel was cut, and all bolts extracted/helicoiled.
> I
> >spent an entire week of working 8-10 hour days on my car, getting the
> engine
> >"ready", and the car "ready to accept the engine". This included
> repairing
> >my steel coolant pipes, resealing the gas tank, replacing the heater
> valve
> >under the spare tire, and most importantly, fixing the clutch problems.
> >These problems were associated with a binding bell housing (which was
> >replaced with another bellhousing), and the transmission fluid's been
> >changed. Well this weekend, the reassembly began. My parts arrived from
> >their various vendors, and i hold Ken Willford in high regard for his
> >services in providing help and parts, in a timely and organized fashion!
> >Parts in hand and an assembly team established, we went at it. With a
> group
> >that we like to call "The PIttsburgh Vanagon Club", we got together and
> >built an engine/car! The heater valve was replaced and tweaked to
> >perfection, the odometer repaired, the clutch hydrolics system sorted
> out,
> >the engine assembled, and the perifferals bolted on. New fuel lines
> >throughout, fuel tank resealed and installed, coolant hoses replaced,
> >transmission filled, and it was all ready to go. Except, while
> reassembling,
> >it was discovered that my new water pump was defective, so assembly was
> >halted. Ken Willford from Vanagain has another in the mail, and all will
> be
> >well, thanks again Ken! So now after a 48 hour weekend home from college,
> in
> >which i worked between 24-30 hours on my van (depending on what you
> count),
> >eating only 3 meals and getting only 6 hours of sleep, i can now say that
> i
> >have an addiction, and i'm pretty good at it! The engine is as ready as
> it
> >can be with the parts we have, the car is the same, and in another
> weekend
> >of work, i'm confident it can drive away without problems for years to
> come!
> >
> >
> >So it turns out i really enjoy working on vanagons, and i'm pretty good
> at
> >it. I"m no longer afraid to "jump under there with a saw-zaw" if thats
> what
> >it needs, and i'm happy with what i've learned. Once again, i need to
> thank
> >the entire list, Walt Spak, Eric Zeno, David Milo, Brian Honan, Steve
> >Mancuso, and Ken Willford. There's no way i could have done what i've
> done
> >so far without them.
> >
> >Yes, the engine's not in yet, theres no need to brag yet, and my fingers
> are
> >still crossed. But, i'm now confident in my own skills, ready for
> anything
> >to come, and hope to enjoy my vanagon for years to come. With body work,
> >this bad boy could be worth saving! So i guess the question is, how do i
> go
> >about finding a job involving vanagons? I could spend another summer
> working
> >for minimum wage to pay for vanagons, or i could spend a summer working
> with
> >vanagons......
> >Who needs to hire some cheap labor?!?     : )
> >
> >Thanks again to everyone! Now, you can resume your discussions about $90K
> >syncro Westy's, who's tires are the best (my Hankook RA08's have worked
> >great for both miles i've driven on them so far!), and what the best way
> to
> >adjust the valves on hydrolic lifters. That is all, but thanks again!
> >
> >-Craig
> >'85Gl
> >
> >
> >
>
>